CycleBoost riders cover 30 Le Tours

Enthusiastic riders participating in Sheffield’s popular CycleBoost scheme have clocked up a mileage equivalent to more than 30 Tour de France circuits.

Over 800 cyclists have signed up for the scheme this year and completed over 108,000 kilometres – or three return trips to the Australian capital city of Sydney!

CycleBoost is a free three-part cycling support service for residents and people working in Sheffield aimed at removing the barriers that prevent people from cycling. People can loan a bike, learn how to ride and fix their bikes, and how to commute confidently.

The scheme is delivered on behalf of Sheffield City Council to promote sustainable travel and one of the key the aims is to encourage more people to replace shorter car journeys by cycling.

The CycleBoost bike-loan element offers employees and residents in Sheffield a chance to try cycling for four weeks without making the initial commitment of buying a bike. For anyone who has considered cycling in the past, this is the perfect opportunity to give it a go, with the loan of a commuter bike, cycling accessories and comprehensive advice and support to get started.

To complement the bike-loan scheme there is a full cycling support package, including monthly Dr Bike clinics, maintenance classes, on-road cycle skills, commuter confidence sessions and help with route planning.

But you don’t have to borrow a loan-bike to take part in CycleBoost. You can take part with your own bike too if you already have one. All you need to do is register on the web site to log your miles and sign up for at least one other element of the CycleBoost scheme.

Councillor Isobel Bowler, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure said: “I signed up for the CycleBoost scheme after many years of intending to cycle more, but this scheme gave me the confidence to actually do it. The training really helped with my road craft skills and the bike maintenance course reassured me that I can deal with most basic problems that may arise.

“I would certainly recommend anyone to give it a try – you will not only improve your health and save on travelling expenses, but you will also help to improve the local environment.”

CycleBoost engaged over 25 organisations in 2014 – from call centres to GPs and journalists to engineers. Between them, the participants burned off around 2 million calories and saved 28 tonnes of carbon.

As well as the free loan of a bike, boosters could undertake training to make them safer and more confident when out and about cycling, get their bikes safety checked regularly at a bike doctor, and learn how to fix their own bike by attending a maintenance course. The scheme continues next year.